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Hey! You are Human! You are Creative!

As an art therapist, I help people explore their emotional lives through visual expression. Maybe I witness this more than most, as I watch people make art for a living, but I have seen people transform through art-making. I know how powerful creating can be in people's lives.

I also often hear people definitively deny their ability to create.

How often have you heard someone (or yourself!) say "I can't draw" or "I'm not creative"? I hear this all the time both professionally and in my everyday life. Many people have lost confidence in even the possibility that they are creative. In a therapy session we can work with these beliefs, but I truly think this is a wider issue in our culture. I have a lot of feelings about it....

​This 3-part blog series on Intentional Creativity will cover some thoughts I've had on:

Why adults avoid creating

Why making things is important and good for you

How you can empower yourself to find your creative mojo​

Okay, this series title: "Intentional Creativity," what am I talking about? Isn't everything we do "intentional?"

What I mean here is the process of deciding to create with the intention of engaging with the self -- Creating for the sake of you.

What I am not talking about is creating art with the intention of creating a product for others to evaluate as good or bad. The difference here is in the purpose of the creating.

So now you know what I mean and do not mean, let's get into it.

​Let's just get this out of the way right now. Humans are creative as a species. You are a creative person.

​I've never met a person who was not capable of creating meaningful expressions.

​By nature of having thoughts in your head and feelings in your soul, you have the capacity (and likely the need) to create.

And when I'm referring to "creating" and "art" what I'm talking about is not only visual 2D art, but also making music, expressing through movement, writing, poetry, gardening, cooking.... I often reference 2D art in my examples, but there are so many ways to express if you allow yourself to get to know your self. ​We'll get back to this later.

"But, I'm Bad at Art"

As Dr. Brene' Brown states,"there is nothing more vulnerable than creativity." And she is absolutely right. Creating art can turn you inside out a bit, showing others not only what you are capable of, but what your true experience is internally. But think about what gives your life meaning -- maybe things like falling in love, applying for your dream job, starting a new endeavor, having children, etc. These are all incredibly vulnerable experiences! To do something that feels vulnerable means you are doing something you care about deeply.

If you've ever uttered the words, "I'm not an artist" or "I can't draw" or "I'm bad at art," likely you've had some experience of creative shaming in your past.

What I mean here is that somewhere along the line, someone might have told you that your art wasn't "good." Sometimes this happens in very subtle ways -- Maybe a parent was dismissive when you were very proud of a creation. Maybe a friend told you your picture of a cat looked like a dinosaur. Maybe you had an older sibling who everyone said was "good" at art, and the silence around your own art meant that you were "bad" at it. Whatever the case, because our art is so personal, we sometimes interpret these criticisms as personal inadequacies.

There's a narrative in our culture that some art is "bad" and other art is "good." There's also a narrative that some people are just "good" at art and others aren't. There is a lot written on this subject, but I think what most people really mean here is that some art is "marketable" while other art is not. To consider yourself an "artist" in our culture, people expect you to have perfected a medium, and to be producing in that medium with the general public validating that your products are "good."

Sometimes people look at art and think, "well, my kid could have done that." Sure! They probably could have, and likely would have enjoyed the freedom and messiness of making it. And you could have as well! That's really the amazing thing about creating. Anyone can do it -- What is relevant is whether you enjoy the process and that it is an authentic expression. ​​

"But Art is for Kids..."

﻿Nine times out of ten, when I tell people I am an Art Therapist (if you're wondering what Art Therapy is click here), people often assume that I only work with kids. (I work mostly with adults). Recently I've started to wonder why exactly that is...

Why is it so hard for many adults to imagine making art? And especially the thought of making art in front of another human being!

Here's the thing. As humans, we have a deep need for storied imagery. People understand that children learn and develop through play and imagination. Until kids lose confidence in their art abilities, nearly all children express themselves visually and delight in the feel of the art materials on their fingers. But what happens to our imagination and ability to play as we become adults?

We see the world in light and color. We imagine the future. We clearly love consuming images and stories through media and entertainment. Yet in our culture so often we only express our experience through words in everyday conversation.

There seem to be a lot of reasons adults don't feel comfortable making art. One reason is that many adults likely have not touched an art materials since they were children. They believe their art is at a "child's level" and there is some embarrassment around showing others what they see as an inadequacy. This is very related to both creative shaming (mentioned above) and the intense vulnerability related to expressing artistically.

There's something else though, and this is important. Art materials are powerful. Maybe that sounds silly to you at first, but it's true. The visual and tactile sensation of running chalk across a page can connect you with your early remembered experiences of making art, and you can feel emotions you haven't felt in many years. Some of these feelings may be related to early feelings that are asking to be looked at. It's an amazing tool that I use with people as an art therapist, but this can be scary sometimes for adults and can cause them to retreat from art. More on the power of creating in our next blog post.

Making art is vulnerable and can be scary, but as an adult, you get to use art materials intentionally, to help you let loose, destress, connect with your emotions and inner child, and PLAY.

Sometimes this is overwhelming and you might need help sorting through all of your history and emotions. Consider looking for an art therapist to help you! For ideas on how to consciously look for a therapist check out this blog post.​

Here's the Point:

You are creative!

Creating can be vulnerable, but aren't most worthwhile things?

Art-making/Creating is for adults too!

Art-making is powerful and can be used intentionally to help explore emotions and identity.

Successful art is a true expression, not something "good" or "bad" aesthetically.

And for today I'll leave you with this question:

​Instead of asking if the art(ist) is good or bad, can we please ask instead if the art(ist) is expressive? Is the creation meaningful? Does the art evoke someone's experience of the world? In this case, even a stick figure can be considered successful. Even a swath of color on canvas.

Feel free to leave your thoughts or questions in the comments! I will always respond. ​​In the next part of this series we will look at the physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual benefits of creating. Basically: Why make art?

So, you've decided to find a therapist...

Great! Realizing you don't have to navigate challenges alone and actually asking for help is a great accomplishment. Thank yourself for investing in your emotional wellbeing!

If you are already feeling stuck in the depths of depression or grief, or experience intense anxiety, actually finding a therapist can be a stress in itself. Sometimes past relationships and attachments make it very difficult to trust a new person, especially with personal history and feelings.

Know that therapists are trained to understand this and should only expect you to open up at your own pace.

​So where to start?! Hopefully this post will give you some tools to begin with on your search!​

1. What is your intention?

So before you start your search, take a moment to reflect on what it is you are actually looking for. Likely you know the general reason you would like support -- whether you feel stuck in depression, or trapped in anxious thoughts, or are coping with the loss of a loved one, or whatever may be going on in your life -- but think about what are you hoping will change in therapy?

Maybe your goal is to reconnect with your partner? To improve your self understanding and explore your identity? To allow space and support for yourself in grief? Perhaps you are looking to understand your emotions better and how you express them? Maybe you would like to learn skills to cope with intrusive or self-deprecating thoughts, and also understand why they are happening? Maybe free write a bit on the topic and see what happens. Trust that you already know what it is you need.

​Not only will your new therapist likely ask you about goals,but identifying them at the outset can help you be specific when reaching out to a potential therapist. Asking goal-oriented questions can help you better determine if a particular therapist will support you in actualizing those goals. Further, it will give you agency in your own healing process.

And if defining a goal feels like too much for you at this point, that's okay as well -- just move on to #2.

2. Where to start looking?

While the best recommendation is often word-of-mouth, you can find a lot about a potential therapist from the internet. Here are some sites that offer directories of therapists in any area:​

PsychologyToday.com-- Psychology Today is a great resource to quickly search for therapists in your area. You can search for therapists that specialize in specific challenges (i.e., depression, relationship issues, addiction, etc), by zip code, by theoretical orientation (i.e., trauma-focused, art therapy, cbt, etc.), by insurance, etc. Each therapist has a profile space for their bio and contact information to help connect you to them easily.

Goodtherapy.org-- A similar site with a great directory of practitioners. Fully searchable with filters!

Google-- I know, this one seems obvious. But, even if you find a therapist on one of the directories above (or elsewhere), google them! Check out their websites. See if they've written any academic articles or blogs. Sometimes you can even find videos of the therapist lecturing or speaking. See if you can get a sense of them through their online presence.

If you are comfortable looking outside of the internet, ask people you trust!

If you are religious, and finding a therapist that is familiar with your religion is important to you, consider asking your pastor, rabbi, imam, etc. for a therapist recommendation. Therapists specializing in Transpersonal Counseling are trained to respectfully help you explore your spirituality (if you wish) in session. To learn more about Transpersonal Counseling click here!

Sometimes your primary care provider will have a trusted referral to give you!

​This is just a starter list, but hopefully it will get you going. Below are more things to be aware of as you search!

3. What are all these credentials?

Sometimes it is challenging to understand a therapist's training just by looking at the letters behind their name. I've had so many people ask me the difference between a RP, LPCC, LPC, Psy.D, MD, etc. Sometimes practitioners have more than one set of letters behind their name! It can be very overwhelming!

To make things more confusing, these licenses vary by state, and so you may see other credentials in others states.
​
I'll break it down for you (as it pertains toColoradopractitioners):

Registered Psychotherapist (RP): In the state of Colorado, Registered Psychotherapists are not required to have a master's degree (or any training whatsoever) to practice psychotherapy. Strange? Yes, but true. This fact does not necessarily mean that a RP is a bad choice for a therapist (I know some excellent RP practitioners) -- just double check that they have a master's degree or some other relevant training. People with RPs are often students or recent graduates, or have some other applicable training or specialty. RPs cannot prescribe medication, but can work in conjunction with a psychiatrist if necessary.

Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC): These are folks who've completed their master's degree in counseling, and are in the process of completing 2 years of clinical experience, with external supervision by a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). LPCCs often offer slightly cheaper rates for sessions, and are still master's level practitioners, but have less years of experience than an LPC would. LPCCs cannot prescribe medication, but can work in conjunction with a psychiatrist if necessary. ​

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC): LPCs have a master's degree in counseling, and have completed 2 years of supervised experience and a licensure examination. This is the highest level of licensure a master's level counselor can receive in Colorado. LPCs cannot prescribe medication, but can work in conjunction with a psychiatrist if necessary.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT): LMFTs have a master's degree specifically in marriage and family counseling, and so often focus on couples and family therapy. These practitioners are also licensed to practice individual psychotherapy and may emphasize the role of family and social systems in an individual's life. An LMFT has completed a certain number of supervised clinical hours and a licensure examination. LMFTs cannot prescribe medication, but can work in conjunction with a psychiatrist if necessary.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): LCSWs have completed a master's degree in social work and are licensed to provide counseling to individuals as well as social work. LCSWs focus on providing clients with resources and connections necessary for functioning, and also are trained to provide social-emotional support as well. LCSWs cannot prescribe medication, but can work in conjunction with a psychiatrist if necessary.

Psychologist (Psy.D): Psy.D's have a Doctorate in Psychology and have often also completed master's degrees in counseling or psychotherapy. Psy.D's have extensive training in assessment and diagnosis, and often have a focus on evidence-based practices in psychotherapy. A Psy.D cannot prescribe medication, but can work in conjunction with a psychiatrist if necessary.

Psychiatrist (MD or O.D.): Psychiatrists, also sometimes known as Psychopharmacologists, have a medical degree and can prescribe psychotropic medications. Some psychiatrists also practice psychotherapy, though many exclusively prescribe medications.

Sometimes, therapists will have a second or third credential behind their name. These often indicate specialties such as Registered Art Therapist (ATR), Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT), or Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC).

These are but a few examples of common credentials, as there are too many to account for here. If you come across letters you don't know, google it!

4. Ask for a free consultation

The effectiveness of therapy is so dependent on the comfort and trust in the relationship between a client and therapist. Whether or not you are a good fit with a therapist on an interpersonal levelisequally as important as their training and qualifications. That means it's very important to actually make phone or in-person contact with a therapist (or a few!) when considering a practitioner.

Most therapists offer at least a free 30-minute consultation to new clients. Take advantage of this and shop around till you find someone you really connect with! Your mental health is too important to settle for a therapist you don't jive with.

When you consult with a new therapist think about what questions you might have for them. Therapists will often ask you generally why you are coming to therapy, your history with therapy, and if you have and specific things you are looking for. Don't be afraid to ask them about their approach, training, and experience. You are interviewing them for a job!

Most importantly, ask yourself if you feel you could open up to this person. Sometimes it's a slow process to trust, but you will get the most out of therapy with someone who you feel safe with.

Remember: Trust your gut!

So, set an intention, do some research, and find someone who you like! And at the end of the day, be brave and trust your gut. You know yourself and what works for you better than anyone else. Give a therapist a try and see how it goes.

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